Tithing Money or Food?

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Author and former military man Frank Chase Jr. grew in Baltimore, MD. He got interested in writing from watching movies and listening to a radio show called mystery theatre, but it was only in his thirties after a divorce that his desire to write escalated. His debut book “False Roads to Manhood: What Women Need to Know: What Men Need to Understand” took him seven years of research and writing. If he weren’t a writer, Frank would be a stage actor as it has been his passion since high school.Being a writer has taught him that everyone will not agree with you or what you may write, but it leaves a record and a legacy that can help future generations long after you have passed on. He is currently writing a scripture-centered book and also plans on writing a fiction novel soon. Read full interview…

Folks, many pro-tithers take pride in saying, the New Testament does not command anyone to not tithe. In fact, many times Mathew 23:23 is used as proof text to prove you must tithing money to the church. However if anyone has an ounce of biblical sense, they would know that Jesus’ instruction based on the context of the verse is not about tithing money. When he said “not left the other undone” many pro-tithers think the endorsement of tithing in Mathew references your weekly paycheck. Tithing in the Bible was never based on a weekly or biweekly paycheck process. Tithing in the Bible was based on the sabbatical cycle not a paycheck cycle. The tithe was land based not income based. Many who argue that the New Testament does not say not to tithe, think they have you over a barrel, when they use this verse out of context. But what tithers fail to understand is that New Testament wouldn’t have to say not to tithe because the words “not left the other undone” that Jesus spoke referred to agricultural and livestock tithing. Jesus was not endorsing a monetary tithe. He simply told the hypocritical Pharisees that crops and cattle should be tithed and not left undone. There is no monetary tithe context in Mathew 23:23. The reason why the New Testament does not command believers not to tithe is because the first century audience already knew the the tithe was edible items which was a tenth part of the crops and every tenth animal from the land of Israel. Trying to play a scriptural shell game with the scriptures will not work if someone knows the land, language and literature of the God’s people.

It is hard to convince people that the Bible does not endorse monetary tithing, and even in the face of overwhelming scriptural evidence to support that a tenth of their income is not required of God, it amazes me that people choose ignorance over truth. But maybe if someone else provided proof, maybe that would help. So below I posted a Facebook friend’s answer to the argument that says, the New Testament does not say not to tithe. Or the question goes, show me where the Bible commands us not to tithe. The following is a post by Anthony Todd on Facebook:

I humbly and with all due respect request someone to tell me of one verse in the New Testament that tells us not to tithe. Please don’t twist or change a verse to suit your opinion or inclination. This group has been characterized by name calling, insults and the sort, I wish you avoid that in your responses. Talk the truth not your opinion.

Kimathi Remmy RE: “Thanks for all those responses people. Now in reference to the teachings of the Bible (Which is our guiding book) How did Jesus (Who is God) disqualify tithing? Mention the word for me to understand this. Thank you.”

>>> Why would God have to “disqualify” tithing to people God never “qualified” it to in the first place? And…

1. Where did God instruct Christians to pay/surrender tithes? NOWHERE.

2. Where did God ever tell us that a church or a pastor has a right to takes tithes? NOWHERE.

3. Where did God transfer the ownership of the tithe from the tribe of Levits to to any Apostle, Prophet, Pastor, Teacher, Evangelists, church, ministry, organization, or anyone? NOWHERE….

“Thus speak unto the Levites, and say unto them, When ye take of the children of Israel the tithes which I have given you from them for your inheritance, then ye shall offer up an heave offering of it for the LORD, even a tenth part of the tithe.” – Numbers 18:26

4. Where did God instruct Christians to “continue tithing?” NOWHERE.

5. Where did God establish the paying of money as “tithing?” NOWHERE.

6. Where did God instruct Gentiles to tithe in the Old or New Testament? NOWHERE.

7. Why didn’t the first church council when the Apostle James (speaking for the Apostle Peter), include in his instructions to the Gentile Believers to “make sure you tithe”?….

“For it seemed good to the Holy Ghost, and to us, to lay upon you no greater burden than these necessary things; That ye abstain from meats offered to idols, and from blood, and from things strangled, and from fornication: from which if ye keep yourselves, ye shall do well. Fare ye well.” – Acts 15:28-29

Not one word from the Apostles Peter or James to tithe. If tithing was so important and an instruction from to tithe; why did the Apostle Peter leave it out of his instructions?

> Also, left out of this verse…

“Forasmuch as we have heard, that certain which went out from us have troubled you with words, subverting your souls, saying, Ye must be circumcised, and keep the law [i.e., tithe: Jesus said tithing was a matter of the law – Matt. 23:23]: to whom we gave no such commandment:” – Acts 15:24.

If tithing was required and taught in the New Testament for Christians, it would have to be clearly detailed and outlined in the terms and conditions of the New Testament like all promises and commands of the New Testament are.

Tithing instructions would be clearly included in the New Testament. No such terms, conditions or details are outlined anywhere in the New Testament. Tithing was never, is not now, and will never be part of the New Testament.

No Apostle ever taught tithing, asked for a tithe, rebuked any person or church for not tithing, or received a tithe. Not one of them. The early church (i.e. Book of Acts) NEVER tithed. We have NO record of them doing so.

>>> AND ONE LAST QUESTION…

An inconvenient question; one that tithing teachers and tithers avoid and prefer not to discuss or answer…

If we are supposed to be tithing money, or at all for that matter, as tithing teachers claim; why are we not supposed to be doing what God says with the tithe money? Like this…

1. Do not pay the tithe in the form of money. Keep the money in your hand (bind it to your hand) until you…

2. Buy wine with it.

3. Buy strong drink (harder liqueur) with it.

4. Buy livestock and other food.

5. Buy whatever you desire, whatever you lust after.

6. Share what you buy with a Levite and family.

7. Only convert your tithe money back to fruits, vegetables and clean live stock, etc., at the location you will share it with a Levite if it is too far to transport it in the form God says it is to paid in.

8. Eat your tithe with the Levite.

9. Learn to fear and respect the Lord by doing one through eight above.

>> Why don’t tithing teachers tell their faithful tithers this?…

> Deuteronomy 14;

22 Thou shalt truly tithe all the increase of thy seed, that the field bringeth forth year by year. 23 And thou shalt eat before the Lord thy God, in the place which he shall choose to place his name there, the tithe of thy corn, of thy wine, and of thine oil, and the firstlings of thy herds and of thy flocks; that thou mayest learn to fear the Lord thy God always. 24 And if the way be too long for thee, so that thou art not able to carry it; or if the place be too far from thee, which the Lord thy God shall choose to set his name there, when the Lord thy God hath blessed thee: 25 Then shalt thou turn it into money, and bind up the money in thine hand, and shalt go unto the place which the Lord thy God shall choose: 26 And thou shalt bestow that money for whatsoever thy soul lusteth after, for oxen, or for sheep, or for wine, or for strong drink, or for whatsoever thy soul desireth: and thou shalt eat there before the Lord thy God, and thou shalt rejoice, thou, and thine household, 27 And the Levite that is within thy gates; thou shalt not forsake him; for he hath no part nor inheritance with thee.

>>> CONCLUSION; as you can see, these five unscriptural attempts to pressure Christians into tithing do not hold water and are not validated when scripture is closely scrutinized and studied. If proper biblical interpretation and using the Bible to interpret the Bible is employed, each false argument falls like a house of cards. We are called by God to be free will cheerful generous givers, not tithers.

The Facebook post above shuts down the felonious argument that the New Testament does not say stop tithing. I used felonious on purpose because it related to a crime, and it is a crime to force people to pay a tithe from their paycheck, which amounts to robbery. In chapter 12 of my book, The Gospel Syndrome I address the the issue Matthew 23:23 and point out that the New Covenant has not been established so the Old Testament Laws of paying the herd and crop tithe was well in effect. Here’s an excerpt from Kleptomaniac: Who’s Really Robbing God Anyway?

“Jesus did not ask for an income based tithe because money is capaciously absent from Matthew 23. An established monetary system did exist in Jesus’ time, and the Scriptures confirm this by informing us of an incident where He turned over the moneychanger’s tables in the temple.

Remember, the events in the Matthew’s Gospel and the other gospels took place simultaneously when the temple stood and the Old Covenant was still in effect with the Levites performing temple duties and collecting tithes. None of this had any connection to the New Covenant because the Old Covenant still operated and had not been superseded by the New Covenant. Matthew 23:23, does not apply to the Ekklesia (today’s congregation of believers). Many people assume that Matthew 23:23 was transferred to the New Testament Ekklesia as a requirement. This is not the case because the tithe laws applied only to the Hebrew people as a part of God’s Covenant with the Levites for their service in the temple. The disciples were not Levites and did not work in the temple and the physical rituals associated with the Old Covenant temple services in Jerusalem do not govern today’s New Testament Christian congregation. “That’s why tithe teachers cannot prove Christ paid or collected tithes. During His ministry from age 30 to 33, Jesus never used tithe money to support His ministry or pay ministry expenses. Moreover, the Bible proves this in Luke 8:3, which details how Christ obtained support: “Joanna the wife of Chuza, the manager of Herod’s household; Susanna; and many others. These women were helping to support them out of their own means” (NIV). Christ and the disciples were supported by private funds and freewill offerings from many followers who believed and not by tithes.

In Matthew, the eatable tithe of mint, dill and cumin the Pharisees and scribes offered is worthless because it was without a commitment to judgment, mercy and faith. When tithing is taught as a requirement to receive a blessing, it is an error. The context of Matthew 23:23 refers to tithing under to the law and this is what the Pharisees followed. So the next time you hear tithing was before the law, you know the preacher or teacher is contradicting Jesus by trying to disconnect tithing from the law. Here’s the problem with preachers who use Matthew to prove God wants Christians to tithe 10 percent of their income.” Excerpt From: Frank Chase Jr. “Kleptomaniac: Who’s Really Robbing God Anyway? iBooks.

Since the church has a inordinate fascination with money, lets look at some verse from the Bible where money is mentioned so that we can see if money was ever tithed in the scriptures. Now I can tell your that a huge section of my book covers money in the Bible and I know for certain that money wherever is it mentioned, there is not one instance where God said pay a tithe with money.

The everlasting argument Bible theologians, scholars, pastors, Christians and those who investigate Bible history and archeology is whether we can say with certainty that biblical peoples tithed money or crops or both. What was the money used for in the Bible? Was there ever an instance where money was paid as a tithe? Or did Yahweh ever commute the agricultural, herd and flock tithe to money? In the OT the both the words money and tithe are mentioned. But are these items the same? A quick search finds that there are 140 scripture references to money. So let’s look at some verse to see it God wanted money as a tithe.

Money is mentioned is Gen 17: 12-13, 23, “And he that is eight days old shall be circumcised among you, every man child in your generations, he that is born in the house, or bought with money of any stranger, which is not of thy seed. 13 He that is born in thy house, and he that is bought with thy money, must needs be circumcised: and my covenant shall be in your flesh for an everlasting covenant. And Abraham took Ishmael his son, and all that were born in his house, and all that were bought with his money, every male among the men of Abraham’s house; and circumcised the flesh of their foreskin in the selfsame day, as God had said unto him.”

The Hebrew word money is Strong’s 3701 (Keseph/kesep). This type of money was a type of metal, silver with a pale color (TWOT 1015a). It was not coins or paper money, it was pieces of silver for use in buying and trading.

The above verses context deals strictly with the circumcision covenant between God and Abraham.

The only command God gives Abraham is that when he buys a slave or one that is born in his house with money to circumcise them.

God issues no command in this context to tithe the money.

One must find somewhere from Genesis 1 to the end where God issued a command to tithe money.

In reference to money, you must examine how Abraham got all his money. You can trace Abrahams money trail from his time in Ur of Chaldess in Gen. 11:31 – Gen. 13: 2-3.

None of Abraham’s wealth came through tithing, but through a promise

The context of these verses is circumcising people born in his house and circumcising purchased slaves bought from a foreigner

God mentions money to Israel during Exodus 30:16, which deals with paying redemption money (gold or silver) to the temple during the census, “And thou shalt take the ATONEMENT MONEY of the children of Israel, and shalt appoint it for the service of the tabernacle of the congregation; that it may be a memorial unto the children of Israel before the LORD, to make an atonement for your souls.”

The context here is for temple/sanctuary dues not tithes and certainly not a tenth of money. Wow!

The payment was required for every Israelite twenty year old up during the census.

The atonement money was used for Temple upkeep, not Tithes. The atonement money was not a tithe, a tenth or ten percent.

There was no special treatment given to the rich or poor. Everyone needs redemption and payment was the same for all, a half-shekel.

Each man had to pay when he became a certain age.

Notice women and children did not pay.

The amount of the half-shekel cannot be figured out exactly but in Today’s values as best we can tell was anywhere from 5 to 8 dollars. Back in Moses time it could have been anywhere from 25 Cents to 50 Cents. All of this was determined by the values of the specific times.

Every male in Israel paid this money yearly to the tent of meeting.

9. The Bible clearly shows the tent of meeting (OT Sanctuary) was supported by ransom/atonement money and not by a tithe in Exodus in in the pre-law society of Israel.

Conclusion of Exodus: What does Exodus tell us about money? Every reference to money in Exodus says nothing about paying money as a tithe to the Tent of Meeting. But it is explicit as to what money was used for. Here are the facts of scripture with no conjecture or private interpretation.

Money was used to buy servant/slaves

Money was used to purchase women in reference to marriage and if a woman was refused in marriage the man was required to fulfill her rights.

The abuse of a slave was forbidden because the slave represented money.

Money was paid when a owners bull kills another Israelite.

Money was paid when by a owner who dug a pit and didn’t cover it up and another person’s animal fell in and died.

Money was paid if a person thief if he was caught for stealing someone stuff left in the care of another one home.

Money was paid by a man who had sex with an un-betrothed virgin if the father refused to give her in marriage.

When money was loaned to a fellow Israelite, no interest is to be charged.

Money was paid as a ransom/redemption during census. It was given to the tent of meeting as a payment to God for protection.

Genesis and Exodus, no tithing was mentioned. But in Leviticus chapter 27:30-33, God finally mentions the tithe and describes it in detail and breaks down the contents of the tithe and never mentions tithing as money. If God required money as a tithe, the verses would have had to indicate the Hebrew word for money, which is Kesafim and the list would cite silver, gold, or shekels but the verse does not.

“30 And all the tithe of the land, whether of the seed of the land, or of the fruit of the tree, is the LORD’s: it is holy unto the LORD. the LORD’s: it is holy unto the LORD. 31 And if a man will at all redeem ought of his tithes, he shall add thereto the fifth part thereof. 32 And concerning the tithe of the herd, or of the flock, even of whatsoever passeth under the rod, the tenth shall be holy unto the LORD. 33 He shall not search whether it be good or bad, neither shall he change it: and if he change it at all, then both it and the change thereof shall be holy; it shall not be redeemed.”

The tithe is seed of the land

The tithe is fruit of the tree

The tithe is herds (cattle and oxen), flocks (sheep and goats)

The tithe is every tenth animal that passes under the Shepard’s rod

The tithe is not money. The Hebrew word for money is Kesafim and is not shown in the list of requirements

The agricultural tithe could be bought back with an additional fee attached and the farmer could keep the tithe but paid an additional fee on top of the cost of the tithe. The money the Israelite paid to keep his tithe was not a tithe, it was given in lieu is the tithe.

The Hebrew word for tithe is Ma’aser. It is Strong’s 1711h. The word means tenth part, not ten percent, as it is understood in cash. They tithed a tenth part of the crops (seeds of the land and fruit of the Trees) and every tenth animal from the increase only.

The tithe was from grain, fruit, nuts, grapes, herds and flocks.

The first place money is referenced in Numbers is on Num. 3:48-51: 48 And thou shalt give the money, wherewith the odd number of them is to be redeemed, unto Aaron and to his sons. 49 And Moses took the redemption money of them that were over and above them that were redeemed by the Levites: 50 Of the firstborn of the children of Israel took he the money; a thousand three hundred and threescore and five shekels, after the shekel of the sanctuary: 51 And Moses gave the money of them that were redeemed unto Aaron and to his sons, according to the word of the LORD, as the LORD commanded Moses.

The money in the verse is the same Hebrew word Keseph, which is silver.

The Levites were not originally supposed to serve in the Tent of Meeting, it was the first born males of all the tribes. See Numbers 3:45

God changed his mind after the Golden calf incident, see Exodus 32:26.

God wanted all the firstborn of Israel but choose the Levites and their animals.

There were 22, 000 Levites and 22, 273 first born Israelites.

Those that were over the count were 273 Israelites and they had to pay redemption money of five shekels per head.

The money was not tithe money but redemption money. As you can see, Moses had to give the money to Aaron and his sons as support.

The 273 first born paid 1,364 shekels to Moses.

So far a lot of money was paid as redemption money but not one red cent was paid as tithe money before or during the law in the Old Testament.

If money is a tithe, then John 2:14-16 would be a perfect place to see if monetary tithing took place during one of the Jewish Feasts at the Temple in Jerusalem. Jews came from around the territory and from afar to offer sacrifice. In John 2:14-16 “And found in the temple those that sold oxen and sheep and doves, and the changers of money sitting: And when he had made a scourge of small cords, he drove them all out of the temple, and the sheep, and the oxen; and poured out the changers’ money, and overthrew the tables; And said unto them that sold doves, Take these things hence; make not my Father’s house an house of merchandise.”

During this time when it was time to celebrate one of the three feasts, Israelites had to bring their animal and crop tithe to the temple. This stuff came from the tithe and freewill offerings.

As discovered, those Israelites that lived to far away from the Temple, had the option to covert their tithe to money and journey to the Temple with the money and repurchase their tithe at the temple. Deut. 14 explains this clearly, “22 Thou shalt truly tithe all the increase of thy seed, that the field bringeth forth year by year. 23 And thou shalt eat before the LORD thy God, in the place which he shall choose to place his name there, the tithe of thy corn, of thy wine, and of thine oil, and the firstlings of thy herds and of they flocks; that thou mayest learn to fear the LORD they GOD Always. 24 And if the way be too long for thee, so that thou art not able to carry it; or if the place be too far from thee, which the LORD thy God shall choose to set his name there, when the LORD thy God hath blessed thee: 25 Then shalt thou turn it into money, and bind up the money in thine hand, and shalt go unto the place which the LORD thy God shall choose: 26 And thou shalt bestow that money for whatsoever thy soul lusteth after, for oxen, or for sheep, or for wine, or for strong drink, or for whatsoever thy soul desireth: and thou shalt eat there before the LORD thy God, and thou shalt rejoice, thou, and thine household, 27 And the Levite that is within thy gates; thou shalt not forsake him; for he hath no part nor inheritance with thee.”

The above scripture give some context to Jn 2:14-16. The Temple was a busy place during the Passover, the feasts of weeks and the feast of tabernacles (booths).

The people who came to the temple with money are those most likely who converted their tithe to money. According to Duet they had to rebuy their tithe.

Here come the money changes who set up shop in the temple to convert Roman money to acceptable temple money which was most likely Jewish shekel

If Jews brought Roman money to the Temple it had to be converted to Jewish money by the moneychangers who are banker types.

The money changes made a handsome profit on the exchange and even cheating by charging above the rate.

Roman money could not be accepted because of the image of a pagan Emperor God and was not fit for Jewish worship and was considered an offence . 5-8 from the Zondervan pictorial Dict. Page 555.

Once a year at the temple every Jewish male over 19 years old was to pay a temple tax as stipulated by Lev 1:3 and Deut 17:1 and Duet 16:1-17 explains the three feasts at the temple.

10. According to the Note in Archaeological NIV Study Bible on page 1707, it states that “The temple area (the outer court of the Gentiles was the place where various items necessary for sacrifices were sold: animal, wine, oil, salt and doves. In addition, money was changed form Roman currency to the required Tyrian shekels in accordance with the Law (Ex 30: 11-14). The practice becomes permanent once a year.”

11. The money changer in Greek is “Kollubistes”, he was a coin dealer, a banker

Based on their cheating in exchanges rate, Unger’s Bible Dictionary on page says, they could have made up to 40-45 thousand dollars. They were the ultimate hucksters.

This cheating force Jesus to over turn the Tables and expose the cheating of the Temple. Would Jesus go into churches today and overturn the money tithe system and accuse dogmatic tithe teachers as turning the church into a den of thieves or God people objects of merchandise?

14. The priests allowed these shenanigans to go on and most likely benefited from financial kickbacks from the practice, and perhaps go taken to the cleaners by the moneychangers also.

The Final Analysis

Money was not tithed in all 140 instances referenced on the Bible.

Money was used for almost everything else except a tithe.

Tithes were turned into money and spent by the tither for food, drink and sharing.

Money was used for taxes, bribes, land purchase, dowries, selling yourself into servitude, .ect, but never as a tithe.

Money Tithe (maser kesafim) is not commanded on the pages of the Bible.

Israel had an ancient money banking system.

Israel was not a 100 percent agricultural society.

Arguing Money Tithing from unsubstantiated scriptures is an argument from silence in scripture.

Tithing of money (Maaser Kesafim) according to some Jewish authorities, it is believed to be an oral command or a rabbinic injunction that is required but not according to the TORAH.

Tithing of money (Maaser Kesafim) according to some Jewish authorities say that it is neither required by the scriptures or by Rabbinic authority.

The only tithe the Bible commands is Maaser (A tenth part of that which grows from the ground that is eatable).

Tithing of money according to Jewish authorities is that the practice is a custom, a tradition that can be practiced but no scripture requires it.

Tithing of money according to Jewish authorities says if it is practiced, the tithe can only be given to the poor and nowhere else.

The tithe of money was a recent invention to support massive church building programs by early leaders of the Catholic Church around the forth century by commuting the tithe to money as a law both civic and religious.

The New Testament church of the book of Acts did not tithe but shared and took care of each other.

Because the Temple still stood in the Book of Acts, the official tithe (Maaser) would have still been going to the Jewish Temple and the Levites, not to the leaders of the people of the way.

Because Paul and the Apostles were not Levites and that Paul was from the tribe of Benjamin he and the others could not accept or ask for a tithe because it would have been considered that he was stealing the inheritance of the Levites which God said belonged to them only.

Paul Jewish background forbids him to profit from the TORAH but he had to work throughout his ministry and he accepted support from caring believers not tithes.This blog’s purpose is to spur believers to study how to give. The truth about money, tithing and everything else in the Bible is only hidden from those who don’t hunger or thirst for truth. So study to show yourself approved unto God, rightly dividing the Word of truth. Money will always be a point of contention in the church and shall always be unless the truth comes out.Give According To Paul’s Instructions: As a man purposeth [deciding in your own mind] in his heart give cheerfully not grudgingly, not of necessity according to what one has, not according to what one does not have ( II Cor. 8:12 and 9:7).

There are many other instances of money references in the Bible, but none of them say money is required as a tithe.

Author and former military man Frank Chase Jr. grew in Baltimore, MD. He got interested in writing from watching movies and listening to a radio show called mystery theatre, but it was only in his thirties after a divorce that his desire to write escalated. His debut book “False Roads to Manhood: What Women Need to Know: What Men Need to Understand” took him seven years of research and writing. If he weren’t a writer, Frank would be a stage actor as it has been his passion since high school.Being a writer has taught him that everyone will not agree with you or what you may write, but it leaves a record and a legacy that can help future generations long after you have passed on. He is currently writing a scripture-centered book and also plans on writing a fiction novel soon. Read full interview…

Take Kleptomaniac: Who’s Really Robbing God Anyway on a email book blog tour. Get a copy of the Blog Tour below and help me celebrate the one year anniversary of Kleptomaniac: Who’s Really Robbing God Anyway by sending my book on an email Book Blog Tour with your email network of friends or however your choose. Go to the link below and get the book blog document and share with your email network of friends.Frank Chase–Kleptomananiac Book Blog Tour Small pdf

Thanks Daniel White for Joining the tithe converation.

In my previous post, we continued answering questions from the pamphlet titled, In God We Trust? Amazing Fact tithing pamphlet. In this post, I will continue to break down the erroneous questions and give you what the Bible really says about tithing. We will start with question 12, which is a loaded question that assumes tithing as practiced today is a foregone conclusion, but the opposite is true. Tithing today has no resemblance in form, fit and function to the tithe of the Bible. My book, Kleptomaniac: Who’s Really Robbing God Anyway? has many more answers to the questions this pamphlet provides. You can get signed paperbacks, just order Kleptomaniac: Who’s Really Robbing God Anyway? from Paypalme for $23.87

Question 12 reads: In addition to the tithe, which belongs to God, what else does God ask of his people? The pamphlet cites Psalm 96:8, which reads, “Bring an offering and come into His Courts.” Then the answer the pamphlet gives is this: The Lord asks up to give offerings of His work as an expression of our love for him and our thanksgiving for his blessings.

My Answer: The first part of the question is incorrect because it assumes the tithe is money and because of that we are to bring some additional besides the tithe. In fact, God does not ask New Testament believers to tithe crops and cattle and assuming money is a tithe is simply out of context with scripture. Though the verse seems to ask for offerings, it is speaking of the temple, not the New Testament Ekklesia. An offering is not something that’s in addition to tithing, an offering in the New Covenant comes from the heart. It is false scripture twisting to say that an offering is only accepted after you have paid your tithe. There is not Bible verse to back up such an outlandish unbiblical statement. The standard of giving for the followers of the Messiah is free will generous giving that comes from the heart a person who has it to give. Here is what the Bible says to those who are givers. “For if there be first willing mind, it is accepted according to that a man hath and not according to that he hath not” ( 1 Cor. 8:12 KJV). Then Paul went on to say that all giving be on the basis of “every man according as he purposeth in his heart, so let him give; not grudgingly or of necessity, for God loveth a cheerful giver” (2 Cor 9:7). There is no such phenomenon that offerings are given in addition to the tithe.

Question 13 reads: How much shall I give to God as offerings? The pamphlet cites 2 Cor 9:7 and gives this answer: The Bible does not specify a set amount for offerings. Each person decides (as God impresses) how much to give and then gives it cheerfully.

My Answer: For question 13, we, in fact, have a correct answer. All giving comes from a cheerful heart. My answer to question 12 answers question 13. There is no such thing as New Covenant or New Testament tithing.

Question 14 asks, What additional Bible principles does God share with us regarding giving? The amazing facts pamphlet gives a list of answers:

A. My first priority should be to give myself to the Lord (2 Cor. 8:5)

B. I should Give God my very best (Proverbs 3:9).

C. God Blesses the generous Giver (Proverbs 11:24, 25)

D. It is more Blessed to give than to receive (Acts 20:35).

E. When stingy, I am not rightly using my God-given blessing (Luke12:16-21)

F. God returns more than I give (Luke 6:38).

G. I should give in proportion to how God has prospered and blessed me (1 Cor. 16:2).

H. I should give as I am able (Deut 16:17).

After listing all these scripture references, the Pamphlet then states, we return the tithe to God, to whom it already belongs. We give offerings. Offerings are voluntary and should be given Joyously.

My answer: The common practice of stringing together scriptures to prove a point is often used to prove tithing. So the pamphlet asks a question then gives a list of scripture answers on giving then finalizes it by saying we return the tithe to God and give voluntary offerings. The problem with the list of these verses is that each verse has a specific context, which the pamphlet leaves out. None the references address how regular giving was done in the New Testament Church in the first century. Actually, neither Paul or the New Testament address specific giving principles that was common in the first century among the community of believers. On many occasions, Paul addressed giving with reference to helping poor believers who were in some struggle. The New Testament does not really address weekly giving practices and what giving principles should be followed. Many of our giving scenarios and practices are based on current cultural practices and the influences of the IRS as it pertains to charitable giving under the guidance of the 501c3 tax code and the laws of the Old Testament. None of these verses in letters A-H addresses regular giving, but they are used out of context to buttress the tithing argument through the process of homiletics where one uses verses with a similar subject to bolster a larger doctrinal position even though the verse themselves have no direct correlation to each other. You must also keep in mind that a principle is not a command to do something. We are charged to obey commandments, not principles because a principle is not a commandment. The unspoken argument of all of these verses is that money is the driving force behind each verse. I would study each one of the scripture references separately and in context to find out what the real message is, and I guarantee that it won’t be about money for the church.
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In my last post, I mentioned that an associate gave me a pamphlet of 22 tithing questions. After reading the entire pamphlet of pro-tithing answers, I decided to provide amazing tithing truths to correctly answers the questions, even though some them were loaded in the way the questions were constructed. In this post, I will with the next five questions by giving you the pamphlet response to questions 6-10 and then respond with the Biblical answer to the questions based on hermeneutics and exegesis. We will start with question six.

Question 6: But didn’t Jesus Abolish the plan of tithing? The pamphlet cites Matthew 23:23: “Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! For you pay tithe of mint and anise and cummin, and have neglected the weightier matters of the law: justice and mercy and faith. These you ought to have done, without leaving the others undone.”The answer from the Amazing Facts pamphlet says, “No! On the contrary, He (Jesus) endorsed it (tithing). Jesus was rebuking the Jews for omitting the more important matters of the law–justice and mercy and faith–even though they were meticulous tithers. He (Jesus) then plainly told them they should continue tithing, but should also be just and merciful and faithful.”

My Answer: On the surface, the pamphlet answer would lead one to believe that the pro-tithing argument is an open and shut case because Jesus said you must tithe but also show mercy, justice, and faith. However, there is a problem because the pamphlet question assumes tithing is money. If you look at the context of the verse, the Pharisees were not tithing money, they were tithing spices according to the strict specifications of the law. The tithed items were mint, anise, and cummin that came from their household gardens. In fact, Jesus said was rebuking them in the verse and not commending them at all for the meticulous tithing of spices. If you examine the tithe laws, Jesus was endorsing the food tithe laws, not money tithing. For money to be assumed in Matthew 23:23, you have to explain why Jesus left out money from the list of mint, anise, and cummin. Jesus was specific in calling out eatable items because he knew the law and that the law defined the tithe as crops and livestock. For Jesus to endorse money as a tithe would, he would have violated the law and caused the Pharisees to sin. In the verse, the weightier matters of the law were justice, mercy, and faith, and tithing spices from your garden was a lesser matter of the law. Therefore tithing is the law and because it was, Matthew’s Gospel speaks to the Jews under the laws of the Old Covenant. So the answer to question 6 is, no. Jesus did not abolish the food tithe laws, and He never commanded the Pharisees or Gentiles to tithe a tenth part of their pay as a tithe. Because Matthew is under the dispensation of the Old Covenant of the law of Moses and because the age of New Testament/Covenant grace was not instituted yet, Jesus would not suggest abandoning the crop and livestock tithe under the law. Under grace, the answer to the question is yes tithing is abolished because it was always inextricably connected to the Jerusalem temple, the Levites, and the priests for the sacrificial system. There are no more Levites and priests from the tribe of Levi who had the commandment to receives tithes and the Jerusalem temple was destroyed in 70 AD. When the New Covenant came along in the book of acts, freewill giving from the heart motivated by love became God’s preferred method of giving based and Paul backs this up when he said, So let each one give as he purposes in his heart, not grudgingly or of necessity; for God loves a cheerful giver (2 Cor. 9:7) and it was also important that Paul made sure all giving was done with a sense of responsibility and willingness because he also said, For if there is first a willing mind, it is accepted according to what one has, and not according to what he does not have (2 Cor. 8:12). Paul taught giving without percentage because he knew the tithe laws were for Israel so he established giving from heart-based on Old Testament scriptures that addressed giving from the heart. For example, read Duet. 15:7-11.

Question 7: The pamphlet question asks, For what was the tithe used for in Old Testament days? The scripture reference Amazing Facts cites is, “Behold, I have given the children of Levi all the tithes in Israel as an inheritance in return for the work which they perform, the work of the tabernacle of meeting.” The pamphlet answers the questions this way, The tithe in Old Testament days, was used for income of the priests. The tribe of Levi (the priests) received no portion of land for crop growing and business operations, while the other 11 tribes did. The Levites worked full time taking care of the temple and ministering to God’s people. So God’s plan was that the tithe support the priests and their families.

My Answer: Question 7 is filled with a mixture of error and truth because the context is not taken into consideration in the convoluted answer. Taking scripture out of context is always a pretext for false doctrinal error and misinterpretation. The pamphlet says tithing belonged to the priests as income. The pamphlet is incorrect because the Bible never calls the tithe income in the form of money. The tithe according to the Bible was not income but an inheritance for the Levites by birthright as long as the temple stood. Numbers 18:21 explains it by saying, “Behold, I have given the children of Levi all the tithes in Israel as an inheritance in return for the work which they perform, the work of the tabernacle of meeting.” And if you look at verse 31 of numbers 18, it reads, “You may eat it in any place, you and your households, for it is your reward for your work in the tabernacle of meeting.” Food is not income, food is for sustaining life, so you can’t call the tithe income. The Bible reveals the tithe they received was food that they ate. Now let me make this point also, there was more than one tithe in Israel so why do pastors talk about one tithe and not talk about the other tithes God asked for from the tribes of Israel. In fact, the High Priest Aaron and his descendants did not get the whole tithe. They received a tenth of the tithe from the Levites, which breaks down into our vernacular as one percent, not ten percent. It was a tithe of the tithe. Here’s the proof in Number’s 18:26, “Thus speak unto the Levites, and say unto them, When ye take of the children of Israel the tithes which I have given you from them for your inheritance, then ye shall offer up an heave offering of it for the LORD, even a tenth part of the tithe.” Although the Levites including the Priest performed the sacrifices in the temple and did not receive a land inheritance, it is incorrect to say they did not receive any land because God in Numbers 35:1-8 says they received common land from the other 11 tribes for them to work land and conduct business. The pamphlet also makes an erroneous claim that Levites worked full-time in the temple and this is categorically a mischaracterization of their duties in the temple. The Levites worked two weeks at a time on rotation and the Bible makes this clear. Here is an excerpt from my book, KLEPTOMANIAC: Who’s Really Robbing God Anyway, concerning the Levites status in the temple. Check out the book at: FC Publishing, LLC for signed copies of KLEPTOMANIAC: Who’s Really Robbing God Anyway?

These cities and pastureland were for Levites to live, raise families and to work. To find out how long Levites worked in the temple, read 1 Chronicles 24 and 2 Chronicles 31:2. Those chapters show how King David and King Hezekiah assigned the Levites their duties in the temple. Second Chronicles 31 gives you the entire breakdown for the Levites, the tithes and the cities where they lived. Based on research, the Levites worked their courses, which turned out to be one to two weeks at a time. What do most people miss when reading Numbers 24 and 35, Joshua 20-21 and 1 Chronicles 6? They fail to understand that the Levites and priests lived on given land in Levitical cities where they raised families, farmed and managed livestock. In Numbers 18, 2 Chronicles 31:15-19 and Nehemiah 10:37, the Hebrew tribes brought their tithes to the Levitical cities and not to the central temple. Why? Because most of the Levites and priests lived with their families when they were not on duty at the temple. An example of Levites not working full-time is seen in 2 Chronicles 23:8, which says, “The Levites and all the men of Judah did just as Jehoiada the priest ordered. Each one took his men—those who were going on duty on the Sabbath and those who were going off duty—for Jehoiada the priest had not released any of the divisions (page 153).

As temple workers, David re-organized the Levites’ work schedules under his political authority. Levites served in 24 divisions, each serving at the temple only a week at a time, or about two weeks per year (1 Chronicles 24 all; Luke 1:5-6). During the construction of the temple David divided the 38,000 Levites as follows: 24,000 construction supervisors, 6,000 treasurers and judges 4,000 gatekeepers, and 4,000 musicians (1 Chronicles 23:4-5)(page 162).

The final assertion the Amazing Tithing Facts pamphlet makes is that the tithe supported the priests and their families. The answer is partially correct, but the writer left out that the tithe not only belonged to the Levites to feed them, the tithes also belonged to widows, orphans, and aliens (those who were poor and could not support themselves). Review the slide below that explains what the tithe was used for in the Old Testament and I guarantee you won’t find a verse where a tithe was paid to the temple, the priest or the Levites. The slide below tells you what was the tithe used for in the Old Testament.

Now prior to writing my book. I spent a lot of time on Mathew 23:23 and what it really teaches. So for question 6, here are the PowerPoint slides that address the Gospel of Matthew tithe phenomenon.

Question 8: The Amazing Facts tithing pamphlet asks, Did God change his plan for the tithe usage in the New Testament Days? The scripture quote from the pamplet is, Do you not know that those who minister the holy things eat of the things of the temple, and those who serve at the altar partake of the offerings of the altar?Even so, the Lord has commanded that those who preach the gospel should live from the gospel (1 Cor. 9:13-14). Amazing Facts provides this answer: No! He continued it. His plan today is that the tithe be used to support those who work solely in gospel ministry. If all people tithed and the tithe were used strictly for the support of gospel workers, there would be more than enough money to reach entire earth very quickly with God’s end-time message

My Answer: The pamphlet answer say yes that God continued the tithe into the New Testament for full-time Gospel workers based on what Paul wrote in 1 Cor. 9:13-14. However, the hermeneutic used by the Amazing Facts pamphlet is incorrect because the context is not about tithing, but whether Paul was required to receive support from the Corinthians for preaching. So the answer to question 8 is yes; God did change his plan for the tithe in the New Testament. His method changed to providing financial support for gospel workers in the New Testament through offerings, not tithing. Paul is not trying to co-op the levitical tithe that was exclusively for the Levites, priests, the poor, widows, orphans and strangers in Corinthians. Paul could not collect a tithe because if he did, he would have been stealing the inheritance of the Levites. I cover this argument in chapter 15 of my book on page 322 and 330. 1 Cor. 9:13-14 is clear that the ministers in the temple eat food from the altar. It was not money. This was literal and so you can’t figuratively apply money to the text or context. So those who preach the Gospel and the church are not entitled to tithes because Paul was addressing entitlement to receive support in terms of food and perhaps money. As an apostle, Paul could not accept the Levitical tithe. Here’s a short snippet from the chapter of my book that addresses what Paul was asking of the Corinthians:

The only way to determine what Paul believed about support and what he practiced is to examine his logic. He gives seven examples to the believers in Corinth in 1 Corinthians 9:7-14 to justify support. Notice that all of Paul’s examples are unrelated and have no connection to tithing. So before anyone can argue that we can assume tithing from the context, there is no way to prove the seven examples undergird a tithing requirement for Paul. To prove tithing from Paul’s examples, he would somehow have to connect each example to tithing to justify his right to collect tithes from any of the congregations he established, especially the Corinthians. The examples Paul gives are all over the place because Paul’s intention is clear; he only purposes to establish and justify support so no one could use his language to justify a right to a New Testament tithe under grace. Paul associates the Levitical tithe with gospel workers as a principle of support but not for justifying tithes in money. He declares in 1 Corinthians 9:13-14 that the manner of support which was crops and livestock may have changed, but the obligation of support has not changed. If you read the verse, Paul appeals to them with practical logic, facts and the law to establish a right of support as a fair exchange for preaching, rather than teaching a tithe mandate from money.

The Amazing Facts tithing pamphlet says that if every tithed, the money could be strictly used for support of Gospel workers. This is incorrect because the tithe was not solely for the Levites in the Old Testament. The tithe was also used to take care of widows, orphans, strangers and one of the multiple tithes was used by the tither themselves to eat. The tithe in the Old Testament and this modern day money tithe has no relationship. One is about food the modern so-called tithe is about cash flow. So although the corinthians did not provide support, Paul did not charge them for his service, neither did he call the God robbers for not tithing and he could not do so because at the time this epistle was written, the tithe still belonged to the temple and the Levite. In fact, there is a distinction between those who work in the temple and those who work in the gospel ministry. One receives tithes and offering which was food and the other (gospel workers) receive support through freewill giving. Tithing in not in the context. If you truly follow Paul in the text, he told the Corinthians that he looked forward to the reward God would give him for the work he did in Corinth out of his own free-will. Paul was not after a salary or tithes, and in many of his epistles, he refused support as a higher calling of God. So, the so-called tithe of ten percent in a person’s income is not a New Testament requirement and never will be. Paul was a bi-vocational Apostle and all pastors today who want to be an example should be bi-vocational like Paul. To sum up Paul’s word “Even so” and “In the same way” could only be understood that the ministry should be supported even as the Levites who live off the temple food tithe were supported. However, the text never explains the exact method as to HOW the Christian church should be supported and Paul never mentions how to support the church in I Cor. 9:13-14.

Question 9: The Amazing Facts tithing pamphlet asks, What Startling Proposal does God make to the people who feel uncertain about tithing? The scripture quote from the pamphlet is, “Bring all the tithes into the storehouse… And try me now in this, Says the LORD of hosts, If I will not open for you the windows of heaven and pour out for you such blessing that there will not be room enough to receive it (Malachi 3:10). The Amazing Fact pamphlet provides this erroneous answer: It says, Try Me now and see if I will not pour out for you such blessing too big to receive. This is the only time in the Bible that God makes such a proposal. He is saying, Give it a try. It will work. I promise you. Hundreds of thousands of tithers the world over will gladly testify to the truth of God’s tithing promise. They have all learned the truth of the words You can’t outgive God.

My Answer: First, the entire answer from the Amazing Tithing pamphlet, is totally out of context. The question itself assumes God is making a proposal to Isreal. Malachi 3:10 is not a proposal, is it God telling the priests to follow the law by bringing the whole tithe into the storehouse. Malachi’s context is not about tithing money. God is asking them for crops and cattle. The blessing in Malachi is not physical blessing like money, health, cars and material goods. God is speaking about the windows of heaven as the sky and the blessing is speaking of rain to water the crops and cattle. The storehouse is Malachi is not the church, it is a barn for crops and cattle. The answer provided by Amazing Facts on tithing is wrong on so many levels. The key to understanding Malachi is that you must also read Nehemiah in conjunction to get the gist of what was really happening during this time period. Rather than try to debunk question 9 with a long discourse, the following slides explain what Malachi 3:8-10 really talks about and it is certainly not money, cars, houses, cloths or things we associate with blessing.

Taking the time to study and read about tithing will only free you from deception and guilt about not tithing and help you understand what true giving is all about. I would start by reading my entire book, kleptomaniac: Who’s Really Robbing God Anyway?

Books By Author Frank Chase Jr

Books

KLEPTOMANIAC: Who’s Really Robbing God Anyway?

Interested in purchasing a copy of the book KLEPTOMANIAC. This book is a journey into the annuals of biblical history concerning what the Bible teaches about tithing and giving. This book will take you on a proverbial archeological quest to uncover the true meaning of biblical words that deal with money. When confusion exists about what certain words mean in the Bible, such as tithe, tithing, tenth or ten percent, this book will examine the Hebrew and Greek language to bring to life what these words actually mean in context. This book will upend the common beliefs held by believers concerning giving and tithing based on the history of the original people of the Bible and how they related to money. From the very beginning to the end of the book, everything is supported by Scripture and research. You will know from the onset why the author, Dr. Frank Chase Jr., wrote the book and learn about his personal story of what happened as a result of embracing New Covenant giving principles from the New Testament. No book asks questions like this book. And some of those questions are: does the Bible talk about tithing? Did God change the tithe at some point in biblical history? Are first fruits money? Is the tithe food or money? Is the church the storehouse? Did Jesus, Paul and the Disciples tithe? Did the early church honor a money tithe system? Are Christians really cursed for not tithing ten percent of their income? These questions will be answered based on scholarship, the land, the language and the literature of the original Biblical people. Not only does the book cover the Old Testament tithe, but it will travel through time to unveil what the New Testament teaches about giving and tithing by analyzing some of the epistles of Apostle Paul concerning his views and the instructions he gave on charitable giving. This book defines biblical terms using the Hebrew and Greek text to bring clarity and understanding of the scripture in context. KLEPTOMANIAC defines the actual orthodox biblical tithe.

Get get a signed copy from the author's website at http://www.fcpublishing.com/about_kleptomaniac. Price includes tax, shipping and handling.
If you just want a copy of the ebook, go to https://store.bookbaby.com/book/kleptomaniac